Timeline in CSA’s History
(updated 11/04/16)
Jack Zuckerman, one of CSA’s founders and a former President, compiled this list of highlights from the
union’s history.
1960
The seeds for a concept of a union are planted as salary committees from eleven supervisory groups
agree to fight for a salary index.
January 1962
Presidents of unaffiliated supervisory associations meet at the High School of Art and Design on Jan. 30.
From that meeting comes the formation of the Council of Supervisory Associations (CSA). Dr. Benjamin
E. Strumpf, Assistant Superintendent in Districts 17 and 18, is elected as part-time President.
Presidential terms are initially set at one year with a two-term term limit.
January 1963
The Board of Education gives the Council de facto recognition.
September 1963
Walter Degnan, the Principal of DeWitt Clinton High School, is elected part-time President. Al Morrison,
a High School Assistant Principal, serves as part-time Executive Director.
February 1964
Al Morrison becomes the union's full time Executive Director.
April 1964
The First Annual Convention is held at Grossinger’s April 10-12.
July 1964
The CSA Major Medical Expense Insurance Plan goes into effect on July 1 with more than 900
supervisors enrolled.
May 1965
After three years of work, CSA achieves de jure recognition on May 5, and hammers out CSA’s first legal
recognition agreement with the Board of Education, the first of its kind granted to supervisors in the
nation.
September 1965
Stuart Lucey, an Assistant Superintendent in the Bronx, becomes CSA's part-time President.
Spring 1965
The CSA Welfare Fund is established; the five trustees were Robert B. Harris, Joseph H. Aaron, CSA
President Stuart C. Lucey, Harry Kase and Walter Degnan. The Board of Education agreed to provide
$140 per CSA member to the Fund. In June 1966, the trustees decided to provide the following benefits:
supplemental major medical insurance; extended Blue Cross coverage and life insurance. Al Morrison,
CSA’s Legislative Representative is selected to serve as the Fund’s first administrator.
September 1966
CSA establishes a full-time office at 186 Joralemon St. in downtown Brooklyn. Mr. Morrison was assisted
by several fulltime secretaries and a part-time assistant administrator for the Welfare Fund.
1967
Joseph Brennan, a High School Principal, becomes CSA's part-time President.
September 20, 1967
Assistant Principals hold a one-day strike in support of the UFT.
February 1968
Michael Romano, an Elementary School Principal, becomes CSA's part-time President.
Fall 1968
Walter Degnan becomes CSA's part-time President. The NYC teacher strike closes schools for 36 day; the
focus of the dispute – the experimental Ocean Hill-Brownsville decentralized district.
1969
Elinore Jaffe is hired as Welfare Fund Administrator. That fall sees the first written contract between the
Board of Education and the Council of Supervisors and Administrators; it is the first comprehensive
contract for school supervisors in the United States.
1970
In the spring, in CSA’s first contested election, Walter Degnan is re-elected President for the 1970-71
school year, his third successive year as CSA’s leader. The state legislature ends salary index and tenure
for school supervisors, although those who have it are grandfathered in. The Board of Education changes
the title of all department “chairmen” to Assistant Principal, Supervision. CSA looks to become part of a
national organization telling members, “As the NEA and AFT move in the direction of a merger, the need
for a national union of supervisors becomes increasingly apparent.” While the NEA and AFT never
merged, the national organization for supervisors was born the next year.
1971
The Board of Education attempts to reclassify Principals and other supervisors as managerial or
confidential employees under the Taylor Law. The NYC Central Labor Council denounces the Board’s
union-busting tactics. The AFL-CIO grants a charter to the newly formed School Administrators and
Supervisors Organizing Committee (SASOC) to organize; CSA President Walter Degnan is elected its
President, and CSA is Local 1, AFSA, AFL-CIO. (In 1976, SASOC becomes the American Federation of
School Administrators.) The first general membership meeting of the Retired Supervisors Group/CSA
was held on Nov. 18. Total membership was 268 including 109 spouses. Benjamin Mandel is the first
Chairman. This group will eventually rename itself Retired School Supervisors Association in 1972,
which, in turn, merges with the CSA Retiree Chapter in 2005. CSA changes its term of office for elected
officers to two years beginning with the new officers elected In December. Walter Degnan, who ran
unopposed, and Emanuel Munice are re-elected to their respective positions.
1972
Check off due begins in February. The monthly deduction for members is $9.98 with the exception of
elementary school Principals ($8.40) and attendance supervisors ($5). The Executive Board admits Day
Care Center Directors and Assistant Directors as members. The Board of Education rejected the
demands of the Association of Assistant Principals to bargain separately for their own members. To
comply with the AFL-CIO rules, CSA begins steps to restructure its Executive Board to comply with
oneman, one-vote representation.
1973
The 10th Annual Convention was held May 12 at the Statler Hilton Hotel. PERB rules on June 1 that NYC
Principals are not managerial employees and are entitled to collective bargaining rights and union
membership. In June, Walter Degnan announces his intention to resign as CSA President to focus on
SASOC. SASOC, at this point, had 17 locals. Executive Vice President Emanuel Munice assumes the
Presidency at the start of the 73-74 school year, but does not run in the fall elections. In September,
CSA’s membership approves a new three-year contract making NYC school administrators and
supervisors the highest paid in the country. Principals can earn up to $35,000. Peter O’Brien, the
Principal of PS 17, Queens, wins a three-way race for CSA president. Jack Zuckerman is elected Executive
Vice President, while continuing to serve as Principal as PS 151, Manhattan. The team takes office Feb.
1, 1974.
1974
In the late fall, the Professional Association of Day Care Directors, an affiliate of CSA since 1973, vote to
select CSA as its collective bargaining representatives. Nearly two years later, a contract is signed. (See
1976.) CSA also organizes its Committee on Political Education (COPE).
1975
Gov. Hugh Carey signs legislation restoring tenure for supervisors. CSA supports the UFT’s weeklong
strike, marching in picket lines with teachers. Day Care Directors, in a first, picket the Day Care Council
on Nov. 20 during the Council’s annual meeting. Despite the state NLRB’s recognition in 1974 to allow
CSA to represent Day Care Directors, the Council still hasn’t agreed to a contract. Mr. O’Brien and Mr.
Zuckerman are re-elected to their respective positions in the fall elections and take office Feb. 1.
1976
SASOC emerges as the renamed American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA) and officially
receives its charter from the AFL-CIO at AFSA’s first convention in July. Walter Degnan is elected
President, Al Morrison is elected Executive Vice President, and Martin Kalish is Secretary-Treasurer. In
September, Day Care Director Lydia Tait is hired to work part-time as a special liaison with Day Care
Directors. Ms. Tait was instrumental in organizing Day Care for CSA (as was DC Director Gladys Weekes.)
Day Care Directors sign the nation’s first Day Care Directors’ contract negotiated by a union on Sept. 28.
The most significant aspect of the contract is the formation of a collective bargaining agreement.
1977
A major achievement: Gov. Hugh Carey signs legislation making CSA an “agency shop.” Within the
organization, CSA is shaken when, in February, Walter Degnan dies suddenly in the AFSA offices. Al
Morrison steps into the Presidency. Peter S. O’Brien resigns later that year as CSA President to assume
the duties of Executive Vice President of AFSA. Executive Vice President Jack Zuckerman becomes CSA
President as of Sept. 1. The union faces more grief when Welfare Fund Administrator Elinore Jaffe falls ill
and dies in November. CSA Treasurer Irwin Shanes steps in to become the “temporary” Administrator
and remains in that position until Feb. 1, 2007. In a tight race, Ted Elsberg, an Assistant Principal, is
elected CSA President and Blanche Schwartz, a Manhattan Principal, is elected Executive Vice President.
Mr. Elsberg remains President until the 1988 elections. Mr. Elsberg is also elected President of AFSA.
1981
The Day Care Council/CSA Welfare Fund is established; eventually it covers prescription drugs, expanded
hospitalization coverage, dental plans and some emergency services not covered by the employer.
February 1, 1989
Dr. Donald Singer is sworn into office as President of CSA. His Executive Vice President is Joseph Kovaly,
a Principal from the Bronx. In the mid-90s, Joe then left to become a Superintendent and Vice President
Jill Levy became Executive Vice President.
March 1, 2000
Donald Singer resigns to assume a fulltime position at AFSA and Executive Vice President Jill Levy
becomes President.
December 2000
Jill Levy is elected President CSA in a tight election. Her slate includes Ernest Logan as Executive Vice
President and Peter McNally as First Vice President.
2002
CSA changes its name to the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators. CSA also introduces a
professional development organization, the Executive Leadership Institute, and eventually opens
Educational Leadership Centers in five boroughs. (The Manhattan ELC closes in spring 2009.) Over the
next seven years, ELI will establish itself as a premiere program offering training for all its members with
a wealth of single topic workshops as well as targeted programs for the new and experienced Assistant
Principal, aspiring Principals, Education Administrators and Day Care Directors. In 2008- 09, ELI begins a
collaboration with and receives funding from the Leadership Academy to provide training for Principals.
2003
With no opposition, CSA President Jill Levy is re-elected to a three-year term with Executive Vice
President Ernest Logan and First Vice President Peter McNally. They are sworn in on Feb. 1, 2004 in a
celebration at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge.
2004
May
The Executive Board approves forming the CSA Retiree Chapter. Longtime Welfare Fund Administrator
Irwin Shanes becomes the Chapter’s first Chairman.
June
With no contract in sight, Day Care Directors go on strike in conjunction with Day Care workers from
Local 1707 shutting nearly all the city’s 350 city-subsidized Day Care Centers.
2005
May
Day Care members overwhelmingly vote to ratify a new contract. The contract offers members $1,200
upon ratification, and a 14.5 percent raise over the length of the deal, which expires June 30, 2006. It
also adds tens of thousands of dollars a year to the CSA Day Care Welfare Fund.
June
The CSA Retiree Chapter reaches a milestone with 5,000 members. The Executive Board votes to merge
the CSA Retiree Chapter with the Retired School Supervisors Association. Later this month, the RSSA
votes for the merger as well.
2006
March
CSA declares impasse in its contract talks with the city after 23 meetings.
April
Between 1,800 and 2,000 CSA members and supporters demonstrate outside of City Hall for a new
contract.
Summer
The union enters into mediation over the contract. CSA President Jill Levy is elected President of AFSA.
In the fall, she announces she will not run for re-election as CSA’s President.
Fall
The union moves to fact-finding in its long-running contract dispute with the city. November Ernest
Logan and his slate are elected to office by acclamation. His slate included First Vice President Peter
McNally and Vice President Randi Herman. They take office on Feb. 1, 2007 in a ceremony at Brooklyn
Borough Hall.
2007
Negotiations move quickly once Mr. Logan takes the helm. In spring, the union signs a contract running
through March 5, 2010. The deal gives members a 23.16 percent salary increase with retroactivity, as
well as separate lump sum payments and larger awards for performance